Reader Feedback: Why American Migration Might Be Falling

CATHERINE RAMPELL

Dollars to doughnuts.

In response to my post Tuesday on the record low level of migration in the United States last year, an astute reader referred me to a recent paper in The Journal of Economic Perspectives on this subject.

Dollars to doughnuts.

The study — by Raven Molloy, Christopher L. Smith and Abigail Wozniak — notes that the drop in mobility has been going on since the 1980s, and so should not be attributed to the recent downturn. Based on statistical analysis, it also argues that the trend seems to be unrelated to “demographics, income, employment, labor force participation, or homeownership.” Americans are, however, still more likely to move than Europeans, for unknown reasons.

The authors are unsure why migration rates have been falling so steadily in the United States. They suggest a few possible theories, including:

Any other theories, readers?